Information storage devices are used to retrieve and/or store data in computers and other consumer electronics devices. A magnetic hard disk drive is an example of an information storage device that includes one or more heads that can both read and write, but other information storage devices also include heads—sometimes including heads that cannot write. All of these types of heads will be referred to as “read heads” herein.
In a modern magnetic hard disk drive device, each read head is a sub-component of a head-gimbal assembly (HGA). The HGA also includes a suspension assembly for holding the read head and providing a plurality of electrical connections thereto. The suspension assembly typically includes a fragile laminated flexure to carry the electrical signals to and from the head. The HGA, in turn, is a sub-component of a head-stack assembly (HSA) that typically includes a plurality of HGAs, an actuator, and a flex cable. The plurality of HGAs are attached to various arms of the actuator, and each of the laminated flexures of the HGAs has a flexure tail that is electrically connected to the HSA's flex cable.
The read head is typically permanently bonded to a tongue portion of the fragile laminated flexure by an adhesive, for example by an epoxy adhesive. Accordingly, if it is discovered that the read head is faulty after HGA assembly, the suspension assembly will typically be wasted because typically the permanent bond cannot be broken without damaging the fragile laminated flexure.
Therefore, it may be desirable to test the function of the read head prior to HGA assembly, so that if the read head is determined to be faulty it may be discarded prior to permanent bonding to a suspension assembly. Such functional testing (e.g. so-called “dynamic electrical test” or “DET”) is more accurate if the testing conditions more closely resemble the actual conditions during operation of the information storage device. For example, the accuracy of the functional testing may be improved by holding and electrically connecting the read head using a suspension assembly that is similar to the type of suspension assembly to which the read head will be bonded if its function is deemed acceptable.
US 2006/0236527 to Davis, et al., (hereinafter “Davis”) discloses a suspension assembly for the purpose described above, that may be suitable for certain read heads. However, the design concept in Davis is difficult to scale to smaller read heads, for various reasons. For example, because the “slider engagement member” in Davis flexes in the vertical direction, it may not be suitable for read heads having reduced height, so that the Davis concept may be difficult to scale down for use with smaller read heads (e.g. so-called “femto” form-factor read heads are only 230 microns in height). Also for example, the “lead contact pads” in Davis must become smaller and closer together if the size of the read head is reduced, so that the force necessarily applied by the “slider engagement member” (to reliably hold the read head) may cause the “lead contact pads” to undesirably yield.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a suspension assembly that can practically temporarily hold and provide electrical connection to smaller read heads.